On 2008-03-27 22:48:27 -0400, cavelamb himself said:

Jere Lull wrote:


What you need is a casement for a tidal driven dry-dock. Float in, let
the tide go out and close the doors.

Something like that?


Why make it so complicated and expensive?

Just hoist the darned thing, fix the problem, then splash.

Sheesh! Sounds like a bunch of Mensans around here!



This IS a form of hauling - but could be a whole bunch cheaper and less
prone to hull damage.

Float in, settle into the slings as the water goes out. Then close the
doors for a dry place to work - until you are done.

Come to think of it, wasn't this technique used in the South Pacific
during WW-II?

We're talking CRUISING boats, in the current world, without the benefit
of a military budget. Large tidal differences exist, but are not the
norm in the real world of cruising.

Haul, fix, splash is the current state of the art for most cruising
boats. Technology has marched on in the past 50-60 years. Travel lifts
are now the norm.

(and we have a marine railway and other last-generation technologies
within our normal weekend range. We choose current technology.)

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/